Mansfield Park
by drugged-on-chocolate
Summary: Basically a first for me: basically a modern version of Mansfeild Park, Mel and Tim have known each other from the beginning of time and are at university...good luck to them...PLEASE READ AND REVEIW!
1. Meetings and greetings

Disclaimer: Unfortunately I DO NOT own Mansfield Park and/or the characters ect…tho if I did, I'd be filthy rich…anyway…yeah…don't own it.

CHAPTER 1

Email from: Mel  
To: Tim

Hey,  
I was just wondering how you all were, since I was last there? I mean, all I've heard (from MARIA shudder) is that Uncle Norris died. How are you all? I mean I know that Aunt Norris wont care, but do you remember when we were little? And he'd come in with chocolates in his pockets and we had to tickle him to get them?Sorry, probably not the best thing to do.  
Anyway, just thought I'd tell you, uni's as boring as you told me it would be. But, there is this one guy…   
Michael Crawford. He's kinda hot. And you'd definitely like his sister  she's right up your alley. Her name's Catherine and her email: HER! You need to get out there.  
Anyway, I have to go, class (groan) but I'll see you in a week? Promise?  
Cool  
Bye  
Mel

­­­­­­­­

Email from: Tim  
To: Jake (Jake

Hey Jake.  
I need some help. BADLY. Mel's trying to set me up with some friend of hers from uni…  
I NEED YOUR HELP!  
Tim

Email from: Jake  
To: Tim

Then ask her OUT you idiot. You've been wanting to since you first met her…how many years ago now?  
Anyway. If you don't want to go out with this friend of Mel's then tell her that and then say something like "I LOVE YOU" and ask her out.  
Your _very busy_ brother  
Jake

From:Tim  
To: Jake  
CC: Mel  
I would just like to ask BOTH of you to please leave me alone regarding my status as a bachelor. I do not need you two finding girls for me.  
Tim

From: Mel  
To: Jake

What did you do? I mean that in the nicest way possible, but WHAT DID YOU DO?  
Mel

From: Jake  
To: Mel

Nothing. but don't go blaming me for your boyfriends little tantrum…who were you trying to set him up with?  
Jake

From: Mel

To: Jake

A friend of mine if you must know. But I think I need to remind you that:  
TIM IS NOT MY BOYFRIEND!  
I mean I think of both of you like my brothers so that would be…………REALLY weird  
I gotta go to class.  
I'll cya in a week right?Mel

From: Jake  
To: Mel  
Of coarse I'm coming on Friday, what do you take me for? Anyway, if I didn't come there wouldn't be any beer now would there?  
Your 'brother'  
Jake

From: Mel

To: Maria   
Jules   
Tim  
Jake  
Emily  
Liz

Hey guys  
Just a little reminder. I'm having a birthday party on Friday, (just pretend that I haven't been reminding you for the past month) and there'll be two new people there, they've just moved into my dorms.  
Catherine and her brother Michael are going to be joining us (I sound like aunt Norris don't I?...don't answer that)  
Anyway, just telling you to BE NICE, I know that for some of you that could be hard  and I mean that in the nicest way possible Jake.  
So anyway, I'll see you all at about 9? At the restaurant?  
Cool.  
Cya  
Mel


	2. Frolliking and Romancing

Slam-a-revolving-door - thanks...not sure if it's a good sign that my best mates my only reviewer (hint hint nudge nudge)

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From: Maria

To: Jules

I told you we should have gone to the movies. That party was BORING!

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From Julies

To: Maria

I thought it was fun. The food was wonderful and Mel was really nice. It was good to see her again

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From: Maria

To: Jules

Where you high or something? We sat around eating food and talking…no dancing or flirting whatsoever.

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From: Jules

To: Maria

You wouldn't stop flirting with that Michael. I mean you're ENGAGED for Pete's sake.

YOU ARE TAKEN

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From: Maria

To: Jules

And that's a problem these days?

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From: Jules

To: Maria

MARIA!

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From: Jake

To: Tim

So, how did you like 'Miss Crawford'? you seemed quite….taken with her (as dear mother would say).

Anything you want to tell your dear older brother?

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From: Tim

To: Jake

Dear? Please. There is nothing going on between me and Cathy.

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From: Jake

To: Tim

Cathy? Ooooooooooooo, Mel's going to just LOVE this

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From: Tim

To: Cathy

Hey

I'm Tim btw. We met at Mel's party.

I was wondering if maybe you would like to catch a movie sometime.

If you don't want to that perfectly alright, I mean I'll understand and all that, if your taken.

But just in case, email me.

Tim

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From: Cathy

To: Tim

Hey Tim.

Aren't you Cute! I'd LOVE to go out with you!

Anytime would be GREAT!

I'll see you then.

xxxCathy

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From: Mike

To: Maria

Hey Maria. It's Mike from Mel's party.

I know about that idiot Rushworth, and I know that you wont mind me saying that.

So I thought, maybe we could hook up sometime. Catch a movie…maybe a sleepover. It'll be fun.

Mike

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From: Maria

To: Mike

Perfect. When and where?

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From: Mike

To: Maria

11pm. The Gardens outside the Uni?

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From: Maria

To: Mike

Perfect

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From: Tim

To: Cathy

How about 10pm? We'll meet in the Gardens outside the Uni? That okay with you?

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From: Cathy

To: Tim

WONDERFUL

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From: Mel

To: Liz

Emily

Hey guys

You will NOT believe what I saw last night…actually knowing you two you will believe it.

Okay, I'd better explain. To get to the library, I need to walk through these gardens full of people making out at midnight ect…and I saw two couples there…

Now if you knew these gardens, 2 couples wouldn't be unusual…but this was Maria and that guy u met at my party AND TIM! (Tim and Cathy!)

This is odd…

Look I gotta go…I'll talk to you both soon.

Mel

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From: Emily

To: Mel

Mel, the reason you think this is 'odd' and your stomach's doing butterflies every time someone mentions his NAME (don't deny it) is because, (and I know you'll hate to hear it)

YOU ARE DESPERATLY IN LOVE WITH TIMOTHY BERTRUM!

Emily

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From: Mel

To: Emily

I'm rolling my eyes here

Mel

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From: Liz

To: Mel

Mel,

You are going to have to admit it sometime, you love him. TRUST me, love hides in odd places.

Liz

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From: Mel

To: Liz

I'm not in love with Tim. Trust ME. I'm fine

Mel


	3. Partys and Problems

Oops, this is the disclaimer for the 2nd chapter And this one:

I AM NOT JANE AUSTEN (thank goodness) AND I DO NOT OWN THE CHARACTERS (also thank goodness) AND I DONT LIVE IN THE 19th/20th CENTURIES (very much thank goodness)

**hellokitty-I love English idol - **_i hope you like the new layout :) nah, thanks for the help...i kinda _

_needed it_

**slam-a-revolving-door - **_thanks bert, hate to think of what i'd do without you_

**BuffyShakespeareAusten - **_as per usual, i owe you. which i think is a good thing...THANK YOU - all three of my reveiwers_

_Hint hint nudge nudge _

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From: Cathy

To: Tim

Hey Tiger

I had the Best time last night, what abut you eh?

So I was wondering, could we catch up again sometime? Soon perhaps?

Cool, so I'll see you soon I hope.

Cathy

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From: Tim

To: Jake

I need help

Tim

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From: Jake

To:Tim

Well that settles that then, you know how much I'd hate it if you didn't explain what you needed help _with_.

Give me something to work with bro.

Jake

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From: Tim

To:Jake

I went out. On a Date. With Cathy. Mel saw us.

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From: Jake

To:Tim

The only two people in the entire world who do not think that you are in love with Mel and that she doesn't love you back are you both. It would make a good movie actually, but admit it. You don't even like Cathy. Somewhere in your subconscious you actually cannot live without Mel.

Face it mate. You're in love.

The almighty and all powerful

Jake

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From: Tim

To:Mel

Hey Mel.

Happy Birthday firstly. But I just wanted to ask if you were coming back to the house for Christmas? Just Dad's going out and Jake's going to have a party….i was wondering if you could help, you know get rid of the guests the minute my Dad comes back. Is that alright?

Tim

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From: Mel

To:Tim

Sure. Can you pick me up on your way past? Just my cars sort of dead at the moment.

Mel.

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From: Tim

TO:Mel

K

Tim

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From: Tim

To:Cathy

Hey Cathy.

My brother's having this party for Christmas this weekend and I was wondering if you and your brother might like to come?

Anyway, I'm coming to pick Mel up so I get pick the both of you up as well if you like.

Hopefully I'll see you on Friday.

Tim

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

I've got him right where I want him.

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

A new record. It's only taken you a week. I mean even that Wickham character took longer than that.

Your brother

Mike

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From:Cathy

To:Tim

Hey Tim.

Could you pick us up? Because we'd love to go.

See you on Friday

Cathy

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From: Mike

To:Mariah

Hey beautiful.

I had a great time last time….when can we do it again?

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From: Mariah

To:Mike

Well, there's this party at my parents house on Friday, is that a good time?

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From: Mike

To:Mariah

Rushworth will be there

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From: Mariah

To: Mike

So?

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From: Mike

To: Mariah

Deal

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From: Mel

To:Liz

Emily

Hey gals.

Just thought I'd email and tell you what's happening.

Currently I am in Tim's car, in the backseat (Cathy gets car sick don't you know) listening to Cathy throw herself at Tim.

And Michael won't stop looking at me….it's kinda scary.

But anyway, we're on our way to Jake's party….it's going to end badly I just know it.

But I have to go, the internet connections about to disappear.

Cya

Mel

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From: Tim

To:Jake

Jake

Be careful, if Dad finds out about this set up then he is going to kill you.

Tim

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From: Jules

To:Dad

DAD! Please come quickly, you wont answer your phone and you secretary says your in a meeting.

Jake's friend Bob Yates is drunk and trying to hook up with all these girls…Jake's having a party…. Please come quickly.

Jules

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From: Dad

Jules

I'm on my way

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From: Jake

To:Everyone (group)

Sorry about that guys.

I didn't realise that my Father was going to turn up. I'll have another one soon.

Jake

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From:Mel

To:Jake

You really should rise to it you know. You don't always have to yell at him and running away doesn't solve anything either.

Mel

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From: Jake

To: Mel

Maybe not for you. Look Mel, you remember when we were growing up? How my Dad and I would always bicker and fight? Well it's the same thing. I mean if I leave and don't come back for a while it'll give him time to cool off.

Jake

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From: Mel

To: Jake

Liar. It doesn't help does it. Why can't you stick around, maybe the two of you might figure out whatever it is that you can't stand of each other.

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From: Jake

To:Mel

You don't understand do you? Do you even know how we got that money? Slaves! In the 21st CENTURY. SLAVES.

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From: Mel

To:Jake

What?

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From: Jake

To: Mel

You know what I'm talking about. My 'father' has a sweat shop in Africa, that's where we get our money.

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From: Mel

To:Tim

What is this I hear about your dad owning a sweat shop?

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From: Tim

To:Mel

No idea…who told you that anyway?

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From: Mel

To: Tim

Jake. What's going on Tim?

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From: Tim

To:Mel

No idea, when you find out would you mind telling me?

Okay look, all I know is that I never asked Dad about his work, that was like rule number one. You remember that. I didn't ask and he didn't' lie. Win win.

Tim

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	4. Datings and Pairings

Okay a few things

- Sorry it's taken me so long! Asignments and stuff

- Sorry it's short...asignments and stuff :)

- I do not own Mansfeild Park, as you can tell from the spelling :) please reveiw

Thanks to all my reveiwers (i feel like i'm doing an oscars speech...I wish)

Thank you for that help **hellokitty-I love English idol** really appreciate it...if i haven't fixed those things tell me and i'll keep trying

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From: Tim

To: Jake

What did you tell Mel about a sweat shop?

Tim

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From: Jake

To:Tim

Notin

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From: Tim

To: Jake

Liar

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From: Jake

To: Mel

I might have been exaggerating a little bit with the sweatshop thing...just a little bit. Dad gets his $ from legal if slightly immoral working in Africa... They're not slaves, but they aren't paid much.

Jake

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From: Mel

To: Jake

Well, thankyou for clearing that up.

Where are you anyway? I mean I know you ran off, but where?

Mel

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From: Jake

To:Mel

Don't worry about me I'm in China, work experience. :) I'll be back for new year I think...anyway. I'm off, cya

Jake

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From: Mike

To:Mel

Hey Melster.

Just wondering if you wanted to go and catch a movie sometime? You know, there's this new one about some jane austen thing...do you like that kinda stuff?

Anyway, Mike

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From:Mel

To:Liz

CC:Emily

MIKE JUST ASKED ME OUT

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From: Liz

To:Mel

THEN STOP ACTING LIKE A TEENAGER AND GO WITH HIM

liz

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From:Emily

To:Mel

Be careful, if Tim sees you with Mike then he might give up on you.

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From:Mel

To:Emily

Not that Tim likes me or anything

Mel

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From: Mike

To:Mel

So? Is that a yes?

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From: Mel

To:Mike

Yes, I don't mind what movie though.

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From:Cathy

To:Mike

What are you playing at? I mean yeah she's cute in a book-ish kinda way, but why are you going out with her?

Your WORRIED sister

Cat

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

I don't know. She gets me

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From:Mike

To:Mariah

Hey

Just wondering, do you think that maybe we could stop whatever it is that we're doing? Just I have this thing that I need to do and it might take a while

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From: Mariah

To:Mike

What is it?

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From: Mike

To:Mariah

Just a little competition I need to practise for

Mike

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From:Mariah

To:Mike

Oh, sure

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From: Mike

To:Mel

Monday night?

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From: Mel

To:Mike

Sure

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From: Tim

To:Mel

Are you going out with Mike? Oh sorry, wow that sounded childish

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From: Mel

To:Tim

It's alright, well, yeah, I mean we're going on a date, but that's definately it...

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From: Tim

To: Mel

Okay, sorry about that

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	5. Family and Values

Disclaimer: DO NOT IN ANYWAY OWN MANSFIELD PARK, CAN"T EVEN SPELL IT LET ALONE OWN IT

Thanks to ALL my reviews past present and _future_ (just a little hint)

ANyway, enjoy and tell me what u thought...

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

Well? Book boy, how was it?

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

It was alright actually, we went to the park and then a movie, Mel's actually quite funny.

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From: Mike

To: Mel

Hey, do you want to repeat last night sometime? I mean go somewhere else, maybe you could show me your part of town?

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From: Mel

To:Mike

My part of town?

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From: Mike

To:Mel

Yeah, I mean your parents can't be as bad as mine, it'll be fun.

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From: Mel

To:Mike

Trust me, my parents aren't your type.

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From: Mike

To:Mel

PLEASE! puppy dog eyes

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From: Mel

To:Liz

Emily

HELP!

Mike wants to see my 'part of town'!

He'll HATE me for it

It's not his type of place

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From: Emily

To: Mel

Take him, dump him and then go straight to Tim

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From: Liz

To:Mel

Maybe you should tell him about your part of town? You know, how it's not very…upmarket?

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From: Mel

To:Liz

You mean how it's the 'slums'? How it's probably the place he has never been to and would never be to?

Mel

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From: Liz

To:Mel

It's not the slums, it's just not very…upmarket…I'm not helping am i?

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From: Mel

To: Liz

No, not really. So I should just take him?

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From: Mel

To:Liz

Emily

I am VERY annoyed at both of you

We are at a hotel on the edge of my old neighbourhood and tomorrow he wants to meet my parents….WHAT AM I SUPPOSED TO DO?

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From: Emily

To:Mel

Kiss The Guy

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From: Liz

To:Mel

DO NOT IN ANYWAY KISS HIM OR THEN HE WILL THINK THAT YOU LIKE HIM WHICH YOU DON"T BECAUSE YOU ARE IN LOVE WITH TIM!

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From: Mel

To:Liz

I think that maybe I'll kiss him just to prove to you that I don't love Tim

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From: Liz

To:Mel

Mel

BE SERIOUS.

You know that you at least like Tim

So why are you with Mike?

Anyway, I have to go, Lydia wants me to meet her new boyfriend. Cya

Liz

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

I met her parents

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

And?

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

They live in a one bedroom apt with their 4 other kids. It's disgusting.

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

I told you so, so what are you going to do about it?

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

Do about it? There isn't much is there….WAIT!

I could ask her to live with me!

Yeah, that's what I'll do…I'll do it tonight, we're having dinner out.

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From: Cathy

To:Mike

How'd it go? What did she say?

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From: Mike

To:Cathy

She said yes this morning, but at the moment she's writing a very long email to someone with a very depressing look on her face…..oh god she said we need to talk.

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From: Mel

To:Liz

Emily

Okay, everything WAS going alright, and then he asked me if I wanted to live with him, I mean he's planning on moving out of the dorms next week and he asked if I wanted to go with him.

I said yes…

BUT

You both told me so didn't you, I like Tim.

Not sure how much, but I know I like him enough to tell Mike no. I'll tell him in a minute, but I think I might stay with my parents for a while, I mean I haven't seen Suzie in Ages and now's my chance.

Wish me Luck

Mel

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From: Liz

ToEmily

Do you think she's doing the right thing?

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From: Emily

To:Liz

Do you think either one of us could dare tell her that she isn't? She's doing what she thinks is best and there's nothing either one of us can do about it.

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From: Liz

To:Emily

Thought so

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	6. Love and Pain

Just a little warning….i can't remember the EXACT story very well so please stop telling me off for getting the story wrong, this is my interpretation of it. This is based on the book, the movie and my memory, sorry :)

AN: I'm changing the way it's written for a bit, so now it'll be a bit of a collage…. :)

**Mel **

Hey

**Tim**

Hi

**Tim**

How's it going at ur parents place?

**Mel**

It's alright I guess, I mean, its my parents place, you know what it's like.

**Tim**

Yeah I guess…When was the last time u were there?  
**Mel**

Umm, good question… 5…6 years maybe? I've lived with u lot for a long time.

**Tim**

Yeah I guess. How's Suzie?

**Mel**

She's great, I mean, her marks aren't all that good…and she's hanging out with some not so great people, but she's still kinda the same….

**Tim**

You could help her, maybe if u got a place of ur own u could have her live with u.

**Mel**

Yeah, gotta get a place of my own first.

**Tim**

It wont be that hard.

**Mel**

I have to go, my dad needs the computer. Ill see you in a while I guess.

**Tim**

Right, so I'll see you soon?

**Mel**

Sure.

**Mel** appears to be offline.

Tim wandered around the house, why did he feel so…odd? Why did one conversation with Mel make him feel like he'd never see her again? He was at his parents place waiting for his father to come home so that he could help him with an assignment. When the door opened downstairs he ran down, but it wasn't his father who walked through the door. It was his sister.

"Jules? What's going on?" He asked running down the stairs to his crying sister. "What are you doing here?"

She looked at him and for a moment it looked like she didn't know who he was and then, as if finally realising that he was her brother ran up to him and started bawling her eyes out.

"Jules? What is it?" Through her tears he managed to get a rough explanation. Jake was at the hospital, Bob Yates had had a party of some kind and Jake had fallen into the pool or something so now he was in a coma.

"Where's Mel? Can I talk to Mel?" She said making his shirt wet.

"Come on," He said, "We'll grab Mel on the way."

Jules got into his car and the drove to the outskirts of Mel's old neighbourhood. "Wait here," Tim told her as he got out of the car and walked up to where he remembered Mel's house.

He didn't bother knocking as he walked into the apartment and saw Suzie sitting on the floor with one of her younger siblings. "Tim?"

"Yeah, hey." He said distractedly. "Where's Mel?"

"Upstairs." Suzie said and turned back to the young child near her.

Tim ran up the stairs and into the living room up there and almost straight into Mel.

"Mel! Thank God." He said. "Please, come now, Jake's in the hospital and Jules is in tears in the car."

Mel nodded and waved goodbye to her parents as they both ran out to the car and Mel went in the back with Jules as Tim drove them all to the hospital.

Jules cried into Mel's shoulder as Mel told her that everything would be alright and Tim and Mel kept sharing glances through the rear-view mirror. Both of them wondering if everything _would_ be alright.


	7. Sickness and Health

Do not own Mansfeild Park

Thankyou to reveiwers! I LOVE YOU

platonically of coarse

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From: Mike

To:Mel

Where _are_ you? Weren't we meant to have dinner at my place tonight?

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From: Mel

To:Mike

Sorry, there's a slight emergency that I need to help out with, Tim's brother is sick so we're just going to go and look after him.

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From: Mike

To:Mel

Oh come on Melster. We'll drop in sometime tomorrow, just come and stay with me now.

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From: Mel

To:Mike

What? Mike, these guys are practically my family. How can you expect me to do that?

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"How could he?" Mel muttered to herself as she walked back from the internet café, back to where she had left Jules with a warm drink and her brother.

"Hey sweetie," Mel said engulfing Jules in a hug rubbing her back.

"It'll be alright. I promise."

"Don't make promises you can't keep." Jules said through sobs.

"I never did." Mel told her amid glares from her brother.

Tim's mobile phone went off as a nurse came past saying that if he wanted to take that call, he would have to go outside, Tim nodded and with one last glance, he went off.

Tim: Hello? Tim Bertram here? This really isn't-

Cathy: Tim, thank God I got onto you. I heard about Jake, it's really too bad, but I

Just called to tell you of this brilliant idea of mine.

Tim: Yes?

Cathy: Yes, well, you're fathers a bit old fashioned isn't he…and you know how

When he dies Jake gets all the money and you get the house…

Tim:Where did you find that out from?

Cathy:Don't worry about it. But anyway, if Jake dies then you get all your father's

Money and the house which your father is giving you anyway…

Tim:Where are you going with this?  
Cathy:I'm just saying, maybe it isn't such a bad thing if Jake dies, I mean we

Could live a life of absolute luxury…

Tim:…

Cathy:Well? Isn't it a brilliant idea?

Tim:………I never want to hear your voice or see your face or have

Anything to do with you or your brother ever again.

Cathy:Tim? What?

Tim hung up and walked solemnly back to where Mel and Jules were sitting silently as a doctor walked up to them and said that they could visit Jake now.

Tim helped Jules to her feet and between himself and Mel they basically carried her to the room where they saw their brother.

Jules gasped at the machines, tubes and monitors keeping track of her brother and sat down next to him holding his hand tightly.

Mel and Tim walked over to a corner and began to talk in hushed voices.

"Do you know what happened?" Mel asked quickly glancing over at Jake and Jules.

"Not really, Jules does I think." Tim leant on the wall opposite Mel and thought through what Jules had told him, "She said that there had been a party and that Jake had fallen or something, I'm not positive on the details."

Mel nodded silently.

The door opened and Tim's father burst into the room and sat down opposite Jules. It was like he didn't know that anyone else was there, he sat there with Jake's hand in his own and simply looked at his son.

"When he was little," he said not really talking to anyone in particular, "we would play knights and he would come up to me and say 'send me on a quest dad, a noble quest'. I'd send him with a message for his mother or someone else and he'd tell me off and tell me to make it a noble one." Tim studied his father and saw a single tear fall down his face.

"Dad, it's not your fault," Tim tried to help him, but nothing would get through to him.

"I shouldn't have made him leave, if I had just swallowed my pride-"

"Stop it." Mel cried out, "Stop it this minute." Mr Bertram looked up at her as she cried.  
"What are you talking about?"

"You couldn't have stopped this, none of us could, but that doesn't mean that we have to wallow in self pity about it."

Mr Bertram stood up and walked over to her as she began regretting her outburst. He took her by the shoulders and studied her, "You have changed Melissa," he told her, "when you came to live with us you didn't say a word, now I think it will be hard to get you to shut up."

He hugged her briefly before walking out and finding the cafeteria.

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Well… I wonder…should I go and do the future? Or would that be just odd? Please tell me…


	8. Trouble and Fixing

DISCLAIMER: DONT OWN IT NEVER WILL

How could she explain what had come over her back there? She had almost shouted at the man who had raised her? What was going on?

She looked at Jules sitting there and Tim giving his youngest sister a one armed hug, before she could say another word she stood up from her place at Jake's side and went outside into the fresh air and sat on the steps leading up to the elegant entry.

"How can you comfort other people, when there's nobody to comfort you?" for a moment she thought that was only a voice in her mind, then she felt someone sit down next to her and pull her to their side.

"T-" She turned to look into his eyes and found that they were brown, not blue and the hair, it was blonde, not brown.

"Mike? Why are you here?" she pulled away from his embrace.

"Tim called Cathy and told me."

Mel shook her head, "thankyou…I guess."

"Look, Mel, I'm sorry-"

"No Mike." Mel stood up, not ready to see him grovel. "Just…Go."

Mike looked at her oddly and then hissed "I could have given you everything."

"Then I want _nothing_," she said and turned back to the hospital and made her way back to the room only to be pushed down by Jules.

"What's wrong?" she asked picking herself up.

"Something's happened, Cathy turned up and tripped on something and then Jake started having a _fit _or something, I dunno…"

Mel didn't need to know more, the two ran to the room only to find that they were not allowed in and Tim and Cathy were having a serious discussion.

**Tim: Cathy, look, I-**

**Cathy: Don't worry Tim, I'm not here for the money…not that it'll come through anyway, Jake's going to be fine**

_**Kisses Tim**_

**Tim: It's just, how could you-**

**Cathy: I wasn't myself, _shrugs_ I just wasn't …me**

**Tim: Were you on drugs?**

**Cathy: No Timmy boy, I wasn't on drugs _laughs_**

**Tim:_ sighs_. Now isn't the best time for this **

**Cathy: When _is _the best time for this?**

**Tim: Later_ starts to walk off_**

**Cathy: Tim, come on, please…I wasn't pretending when I said that I loved you…**

**Tim: No Catherine. I wasn't pretending…**

**Cathy:_ kisses Tim_.**

**Tim: _rolls his eyes _we will talk about this later…**

From: Cathy

To:Mike

It's working. Jake'll die, (hopefully) and then I'll marry Tim who will have ALL the money and I'll live happily ever after..

Cathy

Tim walked back to the room not sure what the heck he was feeling, but then he saw his brother lying there, not moving, silent…

He blinked back tears as he stood outside the window face pressed against the glass. Jules came up and rested a head on his shoulder. "It'll be alright," she said turning the tables. "He'll get better."

Tim smiled an empty smile, "I know." He replied neither one of them believing a word they had just said.


	9. Storm Clouds and Silver linings

**Disclaimer: DONT OWN IT. Wish I did...dont**

Where to go from here? How do you continue something when deep down you know how it's gonna end? What's the point? The window was starting to frost over as her breath misted up the portal to Jake's frail body. There was nothing she could do, she knew that. But Jake was like a brother…Mel smiled. That couldn't be right, or the way she felt about Tim would be very, very disgusting. Jake would have laughed at that and told her to think of him as a distant cousin if it let her sleep at night.

He was always joking, usually anyway, unless it came to his father. But that was only one part; she had to remind herself, one part that made him frown when all the others made him laugh.

She felt someone come up behind her and turn to lean against the glass. She tried to say something but the words got caught on their way up.

"Surely you and I are beyond speaking when words are clearly not enough." Tim murmured suddenly philosophical. Mel had to smile a ghost of a smile.

"I…I'm going…to get a drink," she said, Tim nodded not bothering to say that she didn't need to tell him.

Cathy walked up to him as he watched Mel leave, "admit it," she said slowly as though she was thinking through her words very carefully. "You love Mel Price."

Tim smiled, "There are as many forms of love, as there are moments in time."

Cathy smiled, "I suppose so."

Mel refused the 75 calls from Mike that day, instead she stayed with Tim and Jules as even Cathy in all her stubbornness left to seek a rest. The next morning all three of them thoroughly regretted the _surely the hospital seats can't be that bad_ theory they had worked on the night before. Jules left to find some breakfast as Mel and Tim sat there on the floor staring up at the bed and the frail body lying in it.

"Do you really think that he'll wake up?" Tim asked letting his vulnerability show through, he'd hidden it from his sister.

Mel looked up at Jake, his hand falling over the side of the bed. "He has too," she whispered. "Who else is there to fight with your Dad?"

Tim chuckled, "He'd kill you for saying that," he warned her.

"Well, I'd better get it all said and done very quickly then hadn't I."

They spent the next half hour insulting Jake to his face, and then laughing when they thought of his reaction.

That was how Jules found them later when she brought in MacDonald's for all of them. Tim and Mel spent the rest of the morning trying to explain to Jules why they were insulting her unconscious brother.

**PLEASE REVEIW! I LOVE THEM**


	10. Sleeping and Waking

This chapter's very OOC, but I like it somehow….

The doctors said that he wouldn't be the same, but Mel hadn't expected this. The quiet, subdued man that had opened his eyes that Christmas day was a mere shell of the fire that used to burn brightly. He sat up on Christmas day and simply smiled. It was that same smile but there was something different, something missing. She assumed it would appear sometime, that sparkle, but until then she had to make do.

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From: Maddie (Dorm Leader)

To:Mansfield Dorm

RE: Catherine and Michael Crawford

Cathy and Mike have decided to leave our university for 'family reasons', we wish them all the very best in their future studies and lives out of our confines.

Maddie

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Tim was the first to read that email, having his laptop in the car already. He looked at Mel and showed her. Their shared a look which seemed to make Jake laugh and Jules giggle.

"What?" Tim asked them both accusingly. Jules simply looked at him knowingly. Tim stood up and walked out into the corridor taking Mel with him.

"Catherine doesn't speak evil," he told her, "but she thinks it."

Mel smiled, "the effect of education I suppose," Tim laughed, oh how she loved to make him laugh. There was a beeping noise as his phone told him that he had a call, upon seeing the caller ID -Cathy- he quickly turned off the phone and turned to Mel.

"Mel, I have…I have….I-have-loved-you-my-entire-life-"

Mel looked at him oddly, "I know Tim," she said kindly.

"No... I've loved you as a man loves a woman. As a hero loves a heroine. As I have never loved anyone."

"For crying out loud!" Jake cried out, "Kiss her would you!" Mel saw that smile that she had missed playing on his face as Tim, for once, listened to his older brother.

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From: Mel

To:Liz

Em

Hey Guys….I have some news…

How about you come to a little party I'm having, tomorrow night, celebrating something….

I'll tell you more later…

Mel.

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From: Liz

To:Em

You don't think Tim FINALLY asked her out do you?

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From: Em

To:Liz

I think it might be a little more than a date Liz, I think he asked her for a lifetime…

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From: Tim

To:Jake

You were right, as usual. Want to come out with us a few of Mel's friends, I hear one of them is single…?

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From: Tim

To:Jake

Definitely….

But about the I bring one of my own?

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From: Tim

To: Knightly

Darcy

Hey guys,

Having a little party tomorrow turn up sometime PLEASE?

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From:Knightly

To:Darcy

You don't think-?

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From: Darcy

To:Knightly

I do think

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From: Tim

To:Jake

Okay, but what's her name?  
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From: Jake

To:Tim

Holly, she's gonna be an actress

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Mariah was married the next Saturday. In all important preparations of mind she was complete, being prepared for matrimony by a hatred of home, by the misery of disappointed affection, and contempt of the man she was to marry. The bride was elegantly dressed and the two bridesmaids were duly inferior. Her mother stood with salts, expecting to be agitated, and her aunt tried to cry. Marriage is indeed a manoeuvring business. Jules and Mel's sister Anna become the best of friend as they both gained confidence and boyfriends cause both Mel and Tim to worry almost weekly. Jake was fine, if a little bit more stable, last Mel and Tim heard he was on his way to Vegas to marry Holly…

It could have turned out differently, Mel supposed. But it didn't.

**There we go...The End of my first fan fic... weeps**

**But...please reveiw...tell me what u think ect ect...**

**yeah...bye bye **


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